Once Bitten

B.B.Q

      It took me two weeks to realize this place isn’t bad. At all. Miranda and I have grown close, and my father and I even more so. The only thing is the raids. Dad sends out a handful of people out every time we run low on supplies. Kids and teens are never sent out. Only adults, who are equipped with dangerous weapons and large duffle-bags to collect the thing we run low on. One day, dad needs to send out a few people… and I want to go.

            “Come on, dad… I miss going out there!” I cry out. Dad looks at me with concern, and sighs.

        “I don’t want to lose you again, Ash… please don’t ask me again.” He says. I groan.

        “Dad, I’ve survived 16 years. I’ll be fine for one day.” I cross my arms, and clench my teeth. Finally, Dad gives another sigh.

        “Fine… but I’m going with you.” He smirks as my face falls.

        “But you have to protect everyone here!” I almost shout. Dad laughs.

        “Aw, come on… Some father-daughter zombie killing couldn’t hurt anyone, right?” He asks, nudging me softly. I suck in my cheeks, then grin myself.

        “Alright…” Why not? It’s not like Dad is the only guy here who can protect everyone. And we’ll be back by evening. Yeah, this could be fun..

        We leave early in the morning. I get my machete and extra things- an axe, a gun, ammo, and a duffle-bag. Dad has a crossbow, arrows, and daggers. Three other people are coming, too; Theodore, a tall man with a cool beard, Kea, a guy around Miranda’s age, and Percy, a guy with huge muscles. Oy. I’m shorter than everyone in the group, and the only girl as well.

        We all head for the small town nearby. I guess most of the people had fled before the infection spread, because there aren’t many zombies. Dad and I split from the group to salvage the food store, while the other three go into the gas station.

        “So,” I whisper as we slink along the shelves. Most of the food is gone, no surprise, but there’s some goods here and there, which we store in our bags. “When we get back, can I go on lookout?” Lookout is the job where you have to stand on guard outside of camp, and you have to shout if anything is coming that seems dangerous.

        “One thing at a time, Ash.” Dad chuckles silently. A groan emits from the other side of the checkout counter. We turn to find a really ugly zombie- no eyes, but vicious teeth, and a bloodied face. Dad looks at me and gestures to the zombie. “Let’s see what you’ve learned in the past sixteen years, shall we?” I grin and nod.

        Five seconds later, I’m slicing of the zombie’s head with a machete. This one is particularly nasty, however, because it claws and snaps it’s teeth at me with every slice. I cut off its arms, since it almost scratched me, and let the body drop to the floor. Dad claps slowly, practically glowing. When we hear a scream.

        We run to the drug store, and find Theodore on the ground, a dead zombie at his feet. Percy and Kea look shocked. Dad helps Theodore up and looks at his legs.

        “Are you bitten?” He asks. Theodore shakes his head rapidly. “... We’d better go. Come on.” All five of us head out, but I can’t help to notice Percy and Theodore looking at each other every so often. I feel suspicious, but shrug it off, which is stupid- I must be going soft. I never used to shrug off anything suspicious.

        When we arrive back at camp, I throw the bag to Percival, and go straight upstairs. Theodore, Kea, and Percy are on lookout. I throw my mask and weapons on the ground next to my bed, and sit down on the soft sheets. Dad comes in seconds later and sits next to me.

        “Ash, thank you…” Dad says after moments of silence. I look at him curiously as he hands me a small blue package, tied together with a string. I open it, only to find the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen. A silver necklace, with a beautiful, circular, and small emerald. Nothing too fancy, and just perfect.

        “It was your mothers.” He whispers. “She was going to give it to you, but…” Dad’s eyes water. I feel my own water as well, and hug him to hide it.

        “Thanks, Dad…” I say awkwardly. He ties it around my neck, where it shimmers brightly. Just as we hug again, smoke invades my nose, and screams shatter my ears. We look out the window to something terrible covering the camp and people in it- fire.